


Resolutions Kept

by tqpannie



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Drama, Erotica, F/M, Heterosexual Sex, The Quidditch Pitch: Erotic Couplings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-08-04
Updated: 2006-08-04
Packaged: 2018-10-26 06:23:14
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,552
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10781355
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tqpannie/pseuds/tqpannie
Summary: Are Ron and Hermione really just best friends with benefits?





	Resolutions Kept

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Annie, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [The Quidditch Pitch](http://fanlore.org/wiki/The_Quidditch_Pitch), which went offline in 2015 when the hosting expired, at a time I was not able to renew it. I contacted Open Doors, hoping to preserve the archive using an old backup, and began importing these works as an Open Doors-approved project in April 2017. Open Doors e-mailed all authors about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact us using the e-mail address on [The Quidditch Pitch collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/thequidditchpitch/profile).

No one would suspect that the bushy-haired brunette and the lanky red head were more than simple friends. They didn’t hold hands in public, they didn’t flirt, and they certainly didn’t spend their time in the common room snogging.

Yet, they weren’t just simple friends either--they were best friends with benefits. While they appeared deeply engrossed in their studies, one Ronald Weasley was running his fingers up and down Hermione’s thigh.

“Ron!”

She could feel the desire pouring off him in waves as he leaned in closer, pretending to be interested in the book that lay before her, and she could smell the musky scent of his aftershave drifting around her.

“Yes, Hermione?”

“We… are in the library…” Her voice trailed off into a moan as he cupped her through her knickers.

“Doesn’t that make this a bit exciting?”

She bit her lip hard as he pressed his hand firmly against her. He was the only one who could do this to her—make her even consider the possibility of shagging against one of the shelves in the far corner of the library.

“Ron, we can’t,” she muttered half-heartedly. “We have to finish this assignment.”

He sighed in frustration and slowly slid his hand from under her skirt. He ran a shaking hand through his hair. She reached her hand down to entwine their fingers under the table and gave them a gentle squeeze.

“I do want you,” she said softly, “very much, and if you will help me finish this—I’ll show you how to get past the spell on the stairway to the girls dorms.”

“You figured it out? How to remove the spell on the stairs?”

She couldn’t help but be amused by the astonishment and excitement in his eyes. She gave him a mischievous grin and quickly scribbled the title of a book down on a piece of parchment.

“Of course I did—I told you I would. Now, if we split up, this will go much faster. You look for that book and I’ll look for the other.”

He helped her up from the table and she was surprised when he bent his head swiftly and placed a soft kiss on her lips. He darted off into the stacks before she could say anything, and she walked on very shaky legs to the row of books she needed. When she was out of the view of the other students, she collapsed against the shelves and raised a trembling hand to her lips. She could still feel them tingling and her heart raced at the implication. He’d never done that before—he’d never kissed her in public.

She rapidly scanned the shelves for the book she needed. Her legs were still shaking, and though she tried she couldn’t force herself to concentrate on what she was doing. She was going to tell him everything--that she was in love with him—that she had been in love with him for ages and was so afraid to tell him the truth. His kiss had given her the courage to surrender not just her body to him, but her heart and soul.

She let out a soft cry of triumph as she found the book she was looking for. She darted through the stacks, intent on finding Ron. She was going to put her essay aside for tonight and just enjoy New Year’s Eve with him.

She heard his voice in the next row and shivered at the sound. Sometime during sixth year, his voice had gotten so deep and manly that it caused a delicious ache in her center that only he could relieve. She darted her head around the corner and felt her heart sink. He was there all right—and Parvati had her hand on his arm.

“So I’ll see you tonight, then?” Parvati was asking, and Hermione felt a tight knot of jealousy unfurl in her belly. She twisted the book in her hands and to her horror felt the bindings snap.

“I reckon you will,” Ron chuckled, and Hermione’s heart broke as he watched Pavarati depart.

She slipped silently back to the table and shoved her books into her book bag. She left the library without a backwards glance, despite the fact she heard him call out to her. She hoped she’d make it to her dormitory before breaking down completely.

Ron stared at Hermione’s retreating figure with a heavy heart. He’d come on too strong—kissing her in public—but he was tired of hiding how much he loved her from the rest of the world. He wanted to shout it out from the tallest tower that he loved her and wanted to spend the rest of his life loving her, but something always held him back. He had a lingering fear he wasn’t good enough for her, that she would find someone who was as brilliant as she, so he kept what he felt for her hidden.

He gathered his books from the table and shoved them into his book bag. He shook his head and reminded himself that it was New Year’s Eve and that whomever you spent New Year’s Eve with would be the person you spent the next year with. It was also tradition to kiss at midnight, and he fully intended to kiss Hermione—right in the middle of the Three Broomsticks—for all the world to see. He stuck his hand into his pocket and sighed when he felt the small scraps of parchment he’d shoved there this morning. Maybe he wouldn’t have to say the words—perhaps he could just show her his resolutions and that would be enough.

He entered the common room and his eyes immediately flew to Hermione’s favorite chair. He was surprised when Ginny flew at him from the couch.

“Did you and Hermione have a fight?” Ginny’s eyes were blazing with anger and Ron took a step backwards when she poked him in the chest.

“No, and if you know what’s good for you, you’ll stop poking me!”

Ron was struck by how much Ginny resembled their mum when her hands slid to her hips and she tapped her foot.

“Well, something happened—she just darted past Harry and me looking as though her heart was breaking.”

“Honestly, we didn’t have a fight. I was looking for a book and she took off—she’s completely mental!”

Ginny sighed and rolled her eyes. She turned to head up the stairs to the girl’s dormitory.

“Ron, you’d better change if you’re going into Hogsmeade with us,” she called over her shoulder. “I’m going to find out what’s wrong with Hermione.”

Ron watched her as she dashed up the stairs and was half tempted to follow her. Even if he had done something, which he was sure he hadn’t, Hermione wasn’t going to tell Ginny what was wrong. She was very adamant about keeping their relationship under covers so to speak. He didn’t realize he’d walked over to the steps and began to ascend them until he heard Harry call out to him.

“Ron, you know you can’t get up there.”

“Fuck! I need to talk to Hermione!”

Ron ran a hand through his hair and bit back another curse. He turned to face Harry and found him suppressing a smile. Ron scowled at him, hoping his fierce look would stop Harry’s questions, and it took all his self-control to keep from hitting the wall when Harry spoke.

“So you did do something to upset her!” Harry’s eyes narrowed. “Can’t you two ever stop having a go at each other?”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about, Harry. This is between me and Hermione!”

“No, it bloody well isn’t. You are so blind—she fancies you and you are constantly harping at her.”

He took a deep breath and tried to put a tight rein on his temper. Harry didn’t know anything about his relationship with Hermione. Most of their arguments these days were to keep from snogging each other senseless in the common room and because Ron loved to see the flush spread across her skin and the fire dancing in her eyes when he got her all worked up. It reminded him of when they made love—when her body was writhing under him and she was calling out his name. In those moments—when their eyes locked--he could pretend she loved him and believe it.

“Honestly, Ron, I know you fancy her. Why don’t the two of you just admit it and commence with shagging each other silly.”

The sound of someone clearing their throat caused them both to turn.

“Hermione says we should go without her. She says she has some studying to take care of—that she’s allowed herself to be distracted from her books.”

Ginny said this all very quickly and Ron stared at her in disbelief.

“But it’s New Year’s Eve and this was her idea!”

“Ron, she seemed really upset about something and she wouldn’t tell me anything. She shut down on me completely…oddly enough as soon as I mentioned your name.”

Ginny knocked his shoulder hard as she pushed her way past him, and he stared up the stairs, trying to will Hermione to come down them.

“Ron?” Harry asked tentatively. “You coming, mate?”

“No…I’ve got something to take care of here. Go on and have a good time.”

He heard the portrait opening and Ginny asking Harry if it was a good idea to leave him and Hermione by themselves. The portrait shut before he heard Harry’s reply, and he continued to look up the stairs. He thought back over the afternoon, wondering what he could have done to upset her this much. His shoulders slumped and he headed over to a chair in the darkest corner of the common room to wait for Hermione to descend the stairs. Maybe this was a test to see if he’d go without her. Never in a million years would he understand the way Hermione’s mind worked. She could drive him to the brink of madness and then pull him back with a simple touch of her hand. She could make him so furious that he never wanted to speak to her again and then with a simple smile draw him back to her. It was maddening the power she had over him. Did she even know what she did to him?

He sensed her presence before her head peaked out from around the wall. He saw her scan the common room and then head quickly to the couch. He noted that she had one book—a paperback—and wondered why she’d lied to Ginny. She was in her dressing gown and slippers—he didn’t believe she planned on studying at all. Her eyes were red rimmed and it looked as though she’d been crying.

“Hermione?”

He saw her start at the sound of his voice and her eyes widened. He stood and kneeled down in front of her and he noted she refused to meet his eyes.

“Why did you lie to Ginny?”

She shrugged her shoulders and raised her wand. “Accio books,” she said softly, and Ron had to duck when her book bag missed his head by inches.

“Hermione…”

“Shouldn’t you be in Hogsmeade getting drunk on Firewhiskey or the like?”

His temper was beginning a slow boil as he watched her pull books from her bag. He watched her bite her lip and open a book. She was planning on ignoring him and he wasn’t going to have it!

“Put down the book!”

“I will not! Why don’t you go celebrate, snog Parvati at midnight, and leave me the hell alone?”

The frost in her voice caused him to flinch. He hadn’t done anything! Why was she being like this? And what the hell did Parvati have to do with anything?

“You’ve gone mad!”

Her eyes narrowed in anger as she sat her book down. She glared at him for a moment before speaking.

“I knew it would happen sooner or later,” she said. “You’d find someone who was pretty, whose breasts were more than a handful, and it would be goodbye Hermione—you were a great shag, but Parvati is prettier.” She stood up and began pacing the room. “She doesn’t have a brain in her head, but it doesn’t matter because she’s beautiful.”

Ron watched Hermione pace and anger surged through him again. She was totally clueless about how he felt about her.

“You’re out of your mind!” he bellowed at her. “Out of your bloody mind. You think that little of me? You don’t know me at all!”

She stood with her hands on her hips and glowered at him. “I know you pretty well—beauty has always been your weakness. Remember Fleur?”

“I was fourteen!”

“Well, you’ve certainly never given me any indication of how you feel—no commitment, no strings, just best friends with benefits! I won’t be a substitute, Ron—not even for you!”

“You are not just a shag, Hermione!”

Ron’s head turned as the portrait door swung open, revealing several second years. He looked at Hermione, who was inching her way towards the steps leading to the girl’s dormitory.

“Oh no you don’t!” He reached out and grabbed her arm lightly. “We are going to talk about this.”

“There’s nothing to talk about! Now let me go or I’ll scream so loud McGonagall will show up!”

Ron didn’t stop to think—he acted before his brain caught up with the adrenaline pumping through his body. He pulled his wand and pointed it at Hermione before she could react.

“Silencio!”

He then picked her up and tossed her over his shoulders. He noticed the second years standing there in disbelief as he carried her past them and out the portrait. Her fists were beating against his back and she was twisting her body trying to get away from him. He imagined her mouth working feverishly, calling him names, and a grin played over his face. Should have thought of this years ago when she was nagging him about studying.

He climbed the stairs, heading for the Room of Requirement, and he was surprised to hear Dumbledore’s voice behind him.

“Happy New Year, Mr. Weasley.”

Ron spun around to face Dumbledore and felt his ears grow hot with embarrassment. He glanced up and met Dumbledore’s twinkling eyes and couldn’t help but return his smile.

“Evening, Professor Dumbledore.”

Dumbledore peered around Ron’s shoulder and backed away a couple of steps. Ron could feel the heat coming from Hermione’s body and almost felt bad. She had to be mortified by meeting Dumbledore—he was really in for it when he let her loose.

“Mr. Weasley—Ms. Granger looks a bit upset with you.”

“Well, you see, Professor, we were having a disagreement and she wouldn’t listen, so I…”

Dumbledore held up his hand and Ron saw his lips tremble as though he was suppressing his laughter.

“I don’t need to know… Might I make a small suggestion?”

“Of course, sir.”

Ron’s heart rate slowed down with the realization that they weren’t in trouble and that Dumbledore wasn’t going to question him further.

“Take her wand.”

“Excuse me, sir?”

“Trust me, Mr. Weasley, you don’t want her to have that wand when you put her down.”

“Right, err… thanks, Professor.”

Ron turned and proceeded up the next flight of stairs and he swore he heard Dumbledore chuckle as he walked away.

He walked past the enormous tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy and ignored Hermione’s resumed pummeling of his back. He concentrated very hard on what he required—things that would convince Hermione that he loved her. The handle appeared in the blank wall and he juggled Hermione about; he turned the handle and the door swung open. He stepped inside, trying to quell the butterflies in his stomach, and then used his heel to slam the door shut behind them.

Hermione felt him take her wand from her dressing gown before lowering her to the floor. Her mouth was working silently and she jabbed him in the chest hard.

“You are a prat! We’re lucky Dumbledore didn’t expel us! What were you thinking!”

She was surprised to hear her own voice echoing in the room as he stood and silently studied her. Then she caught a glimpse of something out of the corner of her eye, a shadow moving on the wall, and she started towards it. Her breath caught in her throat as the picture on the wall came into focus, and she watched, spellbound, as younger versions of herself and Ron played across the stone. Memories flooded over her and she stepped closer to the wall to get a better look. The pictures flew by and she caught a glimpse of Ron in second year. She watched as he attempted to curse Malfoy and then that picture faded. The next image was of Ron and she heard him threatening to kill Malfoy with his bare hands, saying he didn’t need a wand. Images continued to assault her and she felt Ron’s hands lace around her waist drawing her back against him.

Picture after picture drifted by—their fight after the Yule Ball, the first kiss they shared at Grimmauld Place, and then the picture crystallized on to the image of them making love for the first time and the look in his eyes as he slid inside her. He was staring down at her and she trembled at the sheer magnitude of his emotions for her. How could she have been so blind? How could she have not seen it then?

She felt his breath on her ear and his voice was hoarse with emotion, “If you need more proof as to how I feel about you,” he whispered, “here, take these.”

He pressed several pieces of parchment into her hand and drew away from her. She turned to watch him cross the room and he lowered himself onto a pile of cushions.

She opened the parchment with shaking hands and read the title. “Ronald Weasley’s New Years Resolutions.”

Her heart raced as she found her name on each list. It started off simple in what appeared to be first year—just the resolution to listen to her more often. It grew steadily more intense from there, all leading up to the last piece of parchment. In Ron’s messy scrawl was written, “Tell Hermione I love her.”

Her eyes welled with tears as she glanced at him. He was sitting with his hands buried in his hair, his shoulders were hunched, and he looked quite defeated.

She crossed the room swiftly and knelt in front of him. She reached her hand out and touched his face hesitantly.

“Ron, I’m so sorry… I saw you and Parvati talking and I just assumed that you were meeting her.”

“Why would you think that? Hermione, you could never be just a shag to me. I should have told you that first night.”

He lifted his head and looked up at her. His eyes were a myriad of shifting emotions and she felt her stomach clench in anticipation. His raised his hand to her cheek, his thumb smoothing away the tears, and he smiled ruefully.

“I just couldn’t believe you wanted me…that we were really going to make love…” he said softly. “The words just got lost.”

“I need to hear them. I need to know that you want me and only me. That someone prettier isn’t going to come along and steal your heart away.”

“I love you, Hermione. I love the way you bite your lip when you study, the far off look in your eyes when you concentrate really hard on a brilliant plan, and I love the way you take care of Harry and me.”

He ran his thumb across her bottom lip and Hermione felt her knickers dampen at the contact.

“I love the way your eyes darken with need when we’re about to make love… the way you call out my name when you come…”

His hand snaked around her waist, drawing her to him, and the feeling of his hard body pressed against hers was almost more than she could stand. In the back of her mind, she heard bells tolling and realized it was midnight.

“Ron, it’s midnight…”

She could feel his breath on her lips, mingling with hers, and he barely brushed his lips along hers. Their eyes locked and she could see all the love he felt for her written in his—it was like looking into his soul.

“Ron…I love you.”

She felt and heard the shuddering breath he drew, and closed the distance between them, claiming his lips in a soft kiss, lingering on his bottom lip before pulling back.

“I love you too.”

His lips claimed hers again and his tongue drifted across the seam of her lips, asking for entrance, and she parted her lips beneath his. Her hands slid to the buttons on his oxford and slowly worked them free. She moaned softly, loving the feeling of his hard chest under the palm of her hand, and she trailed her fingers through the crisp hair on his chest.

His mouth was wreaking havoc with her senses and he slid his tongue against hers, mimicking the act that was to follow. His hands slid to the tie on her dressing gown and slowly untied it. Hermione felt his hands shaking as he slid up the silk of her nightgown to cup her breast through the thin material as his mouth trailed a line of fire from her jaw to the skin where her neck met her shoulder. He suckled the soft skin there and when she mewled in acceptance he let out a low growl against her skin.

“You sound so bloody good,” he whispered against her neck, and he nipped at the tender skin there when she slid her hands down his back to cup his arse.

“I want you…Ron…so much…”

Her head fell back as he slid the straps of her nightgown over her shoulder, pulling down to reveal her breast to his gaze, and his thumbs danced over her nipples. Each brush of his thumb against her sensitive skin sent a bolt of electricity to her center and she moaned his name breathlessly.

“Show me… show me how much you want me.”

His mouth claimed hers again and he seemed to want to devour her whole. She captured his gasp as she wrapped her fingers around his hand and slid it down to the hem of her nightgown. Her fingers trembled against his as she slid his hand to her center, letting him feel how damp her knickers had become.

“Feel how wet I am… only you can do this to me… make me forget …”

Her words trailed off into a low moan as he quickly yanked her knickers down her legs and slid his fingers between her folds. Over and over his fingers rubbed her clit, drawing her higher into the flames of desire, and she cried out as he slid a finger inside her.

“Please…please…”

His free hand pulled at her nightgown and with a growl of frustration he tore it down the middle and pushed it from her body.

“Tell me what you need, I’ll give you anything.”

Hermione was going mad—the sensations he was evoking with his fingers was too much and yet not nearly enough. His mouth closed over her nipple and he tugged it between his lips, causing lightening to flash behind her eyes.

“I want your mouth on me.”

He pushed her backwards into the pillow and draped his body over hers. Her legs fell open and she shifted restlessly against the rather large erection tenting his trousers. He pushed his hips forward and thrust hard against her, drawing a moan from them both, and then began trailing his lips down her body. He worked his mouth over the swell of her stomach, nipping gently at the soft skin there. She found herself tangling her fingers in his hair and pushing his head down, desperate to feel his mouth at her center, needing to feel his tongue teasing her clit, and with a choked cry she felt his tongue dance through her folds.

The pleasure was intense and her body shook with the force of it. His tongue darted across her clit before he suckled it between his lips, pulling at it. His fingers were inside her, thrusting in and out in time with the motion of his mouth. Her head fell back and flashes of light behind her eyes went off like fireworks. She couldn’t get close enough and she thrust her hips in time with the workings of his mouth.

“So close… make me come…”

He slid another finger inside her before pulling her clit between his lips and sucking hard. The result was instantaneous. Heat unfurled in her belly as wave after wave of pure pleasure rushed over her. She heard her voice calling his name as she came. Her body shuddered in delight and he stayed with her until she pulled him back up to claim his lips.

He held her as she came back to herself and it was then she noticed a smile playing over his lips.

“What?”

“I’m good!”

“You’re a prat!” She rolled her eyes at him and kissed him. “Thank you.”

“You think you can do better?”

He was grinning down at her smugly and she could read the challenge in his eyes. Never let it be said that Hermione Granger would back down from a challenge.

“I can have you begging me in less than five minutes,” she pushed a stray hair off his forehead and kissed him.

She nipped at his bottom lip and as his mouth opened beneath hers she slid her tongue inside. Slowly she explored his mouth, running her tongue against his, and she heard him growl softly against her lips.

“Ready to beg yet?”

“Not on your life.”

He waggled his eyebrows at her and with a sigh of satisfaction she saw them slide shut as her fingernails flicked his nipples. She trailed kisses along his jaw and then she closed her lips over his ear lobe. She took it between her teeth softly before placing her hand on his shoulder and shoving him so that he was flat on his back.

She felt the shudder that ran through his body as she trailed kisses across his shoulders before rubbing her breast against his chest, letting him feel the hardness of her nipples against his bare skin. Her hands slid up and down his sides and without warning she traced her finger over the hardness that tented his trousers.

“Hermione…”

“Yes?”

“You’re driving me mad…”

He groaned when she squeezed him gently and lowered the zipper before shoving his pants past his hips. She worked his boxers over his erection carefully and slowly slid them and his trousers down his legs.

She let her eyes trail over his lean frame, taking in the hard muscles in his thighs and the flat plane of his stomach. She looked at his erection and unconsciously licked her lips. She had to taste him, feel him throbbing in her mouth, and she let her fingertips trail their way back up his thighs.

She pushed his legs apart and knelt between them. His eyes flew open wide and he reached out a hand to touch her cheek when she blew lightly on his hardness. His eyes rolled back in his head and she saw his jaw clench when she closed her mouth over his tip.

“Fuck yes…”

She slowly slid her mouth along his shaft, feeling her own need growing as she listened to him moaning beneath her. His cock throbbed in her mouth and she opened her eyes to find him watching her slide up and down his shaft. Their eyes met and she sucked his length hard. His whole body tightened and he let out a strangled gasp. His hips arched upwards and she reluctantly drew away. She wanted to hear him beg for it… beg to be inside her. She wanted to watch his eyes darken and see his red hair thrashing against the pillow as she rode him.

She lifted herself over him and took his hardness into her hand. She hovered just over the tip and used her hands to run it through her folds.

“Please Hermione… God please…”

“What do you want, Ron?”

“Inside—let me fuck you… I need to fuck you!”

His head was tossing back and forth on the pillow. His eyes were wild with a primitive and feral need. It was enough.

She used her hand to place him at her entrance and then slowly slid down his length. She began rocking her hips as soon as he was fully sheathed inside her. His eyes flew open and locked on hers. She moaned his name and increased her rocking.

“So fucking good… you’re so wet and hot… so tight…”

His jaw was clenched and he slid his hand down her body. He paused to roll her nipple between his thumb and forefinger. Then he slid it lower, rubbing her clit, and her body reacted immediately. She lifted herself faster and faster along his shaft—lifting herself, then slamming back down on his length. Their eyes remained locked and she heard him whisper that he loved her and it pushed her over the edge.

His name spilled from her lips as she came, shuddering wildly as the ecstasy consumed her. She heard him growl and in one movement he flipped them over and lifted her legs over his shoulders.

Her hands fluttered weakly against his shoulders as he drove into her and she was surprised to find herself on the edge again so quickly. She raked her nails down his back, causing him to moan out her name. He looked so intense and she could feel the tension in him swelling. Her hand slid between them and she touched herself, rubbing just above where they were joined, and his eyes widened.

“Yes… touch yourself…”

He grabbed her fingers and raised her hand to his lip. He sucked her fingers one by one into his mouth and then placed her hand back on her center and thrust into her hard.

“Ron! Harder… please harder…”

“Touch yourself … pretend that’s my mouth sucking you… my tongue licking you…”

Her hand rubbed frantically across her clit. His thrust grew stronger and he drove her back into the cushions. He was swiveling his hips and she felt her orgasm approaching again.

“Come with me Ron… let go and come with me!”

He thrust hard into her and she watched as his head fell back. His jaw clenched and his thrusting grew more frantic.

“So beautiful… let me see you come… please Ron… I want to see you come.”

His body shuddered against hers and she flew over the edge. She forced her eyes to stay open and she watched as his jaw dropped and he cried out her name. He spilled into her as they came together.

Her legs fell from his shoulders and they lie there shuddering together. Ron’s forehead rested against hers and he kissed her nose softly. They struggled to regain their breaths.

“I love you so very much, Hermione.”

He pulled out of her and rolled to his side. She turned to face him, shivering as he traced circles on her arm.

“You know, there’s a old saying,” she whispered, “that who ever you spend New Years Eve with, you’ll spend the next year with.”

“I can live with that,” he said, grinning down at her. “I’d say we got the next fifty years sew up.”

Her eyes widened and she felt her heart racing. She searched his eyes and was surprised to find that he meant it.

“I love you, Ron.”

“I don’t reckon I’ll ever get tired of hearing you say that,” he said softly, and then a mischievous grin crossed over his features. “You know… I’d like to do this in a bed. We’ve done it everywhere else in the castle.”

“In a bed? Doesn’t that seem a bit conventional?”

“Well, let’s see, we’ve christened the kitchen, the great hall, the potions class room,” he said as he ticked off places on his fingers.

“What did you have in mind?”

She couldn’t believe how light her heart felt. She laughed as he pretended to be thinking hard about the location of their next tryst.

“How about the Head Girl’s room?”

He waggled his eyebrows and she hit his shoulder playfully.

“What’s in it for me?”

She tried to look stern and failed miserably when he kissed her cheek.

“I’ll let you kiss me in public,” he grinned, “and tell everyone I’m yours.”

“Hmmm…” She pretended to consider his offer and his brow furrowed.

“Come on, Hermione—show me how to get up the stairs to your room.”

He gave her his best puppy dog look and her heart melted. She stood up and repaired her nightgown. Sliding her dressing robe back on, she grinned at him.

“Race you!”


End file.
